Contents

Introduction

Chapter I

The Testimony of Nature and Science

Chapter II

The Testimony of Christ Concerning the State of the Dead

Chapter III

The Witness of Dying Christians

Chapter IV

Dying Testimonies of the Infidels

Chapter V

Other Facts You Have Wanted to Know About Death and Eternity

Introduction

What is death? What really happens when man crosses the Great Divide into the realm of the unknown? Since we all sooner or later cross into that mysterious land, it is well that we consider it. The late William Randolph Hearst, a multimillionaire who had everything this world could offer, made it an inflexible rule on his luxurious estate that no one mention the dreaded word. But death came to him as it comes to all. Other persons, to evade its discussion, use roundabout or obscure allusions to the subject. Since, however, all must eventually face what to many is an unwelcome guest, it is well that we learn all we can about it and be prepared to meet it when it comes. For death seems to some a terrible contradiction of man’s destiny, a mocker of his hopes, a fearsome end to his brief experience of life.

Amid this melancholy view of death there are those who have a hope in a life beyond, but they are not sure. Job asked the question that ever springs up in the human heart, “If a man die, shall he live again?” What is the answer? What lies beyond the grave? Has man no evidence, no proof that there is anything beyond this pitifully short life on earth?

In this brief volume we purpose to give the facts about death that most people want to know. There is indeed more information available about it than many people realize. This is welcome news or bad news—depending on the point of view of the individual. What we have to say can be welcome news to you.

We have four sources of information: the testimony of nature, of science, of those who are at the edge of eternity about to pass over, and finally of divine revelation. The following pages record these witnesses and show how remarkably they agree.

Chapter I

The Testimony of Nature and Science

Let us note first the testimony of nature. What does it have to say?

1.    NATURE'S ANSWER TO THE QUESTION, "IS LIFE POSSIBLE OUT OF DEATH?"

Death as is generally understood is the final breakdown of the body. The Psalmist said, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalms 139:14). And this is true; yet when death strikes, it causes the loveliest maiden or the most rugged athlete to turn into a corpse, an object so offensive that we are quickly forced to hide it from human sight. How does nature answer the question, “Is life possible out of death?”

It is sometimes said that nature is cold and pitiless and has nothing to say on the subject except that death ends all. That is far from true. The farmer sows a grain of wheat into the cold ground. It decays and dies. But lo, nature has reserved for it a miracle. From the dying seed, lo, there springs forth new life! Indeed, the sum total of life in the seed is increased many fold. But is not man worth infinitely more than a grain of wheat? If the God of nature can do this with a little insignificant seed, how much more surely will He do for man, who is the supreme product of the natural creation—man made in the image of God!

2.    NATURE TEACHES THAT IT IS POSSIBLE FOR AN OLD BODY TO BE SET ASIDE FOR A SUPERIOR BODY.

There are those who see no possibility for a man when his body dies to have another body either inferior or superior to the old one. They say that man, with talents and capabilities of the highest order, when he dies will simply disintegrate into the dust; yea. altogether cease to exist, and that nature declares this without exception.

But again they are mistaken. Actually, nature teaches that certain forms of life, though experiencing seeming death, may pass through other distinctive stages, the last to be far superior in complexity of organism and beauty than the first. There is the caterpillar, ugly, repulsive, crawling, representing life in its most rudimentary form. It lives, crawls, curls up, and then seemingly dies. To one who is uninformed, it would seem that life has vanished forever. To all appearances its body is nothing but a corpse. Indeed, it lies in a torpid, deathlike state for many days. But nature has a miracle awaiting it. Out of the ugly body of death comes forth a beautiful butterfly to wing its way about in its many iridescent colors. No longer bound to the earth, it takes its wings and flies up into the golden sunlight. But surely man is worth far more than a butterfly.

3.    SCIENCE PROVES THAT THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS ANNIHILATION OF MATTER.

There was a time when men thought that what fire consumed, it destroyed completely so that it ceased to exist. Thus when a piece of wood was burned, all that was left supposedly were the charred ashes. The time came, however, when scientists developed sensitive instruments for weighing not only the ashes, but the gases that passed off. After precise measurements had been made with scales designed to weigh both the residue and the gases that had been emitted during the burning, it was discovered that nothing was lost; only the form of the materials had been changed. What remained weighed exactly what it did before the flame consumed it. (Technically the gases weighed more, since the part that burned combined with the oxygen of the air.)

If the white heat of a burning flame cannot cause a single particle of matter to cease to exist, what then of man which is of infinitely more worth? Can that mysterious thing called the human spirit, which makes man the masterpiece of creation, suddenly vanish into nothingness forever? Such a conclusion is against all evidence.

4.    MODERN SCIENCE PROVES THAT NOTHING CAN BE DESTROYED OR ANNIHILATED IN THE ABSOLUTE SENSE OF THE WORD.

Until near the beginning of this century, men were in almost total ignorance concerning the nature and the composition of the atom. The textbooks of those days told us that matter might be subdivided again and again until finally it reached infinitesimally small particles. These were atoms and could not be further divided. Then came the discovery of radium, and it was learned that its atoms were disintegrating and forming new elements altogether!

Further research changed man’s concept of the atom altogether. It was, they said, a solar system on a microcosmic scale. At the center of the atom was a nucleus composed of protons and neutrons and various other infinitely small components. When a neutron struck the atom at full speed, it would disintegrate and form other elements of lesser weight. The difference in weight was accounted for by the release of large amounts of energy. Under certain conditions a chain reaction could be set up. From this knowledge men constructed the atom bomb, fraught with terrifying possibilities.

It is not our purpose here, nevertheless, to discuss the significance of the bomb and what it portends for humanity. It is, rather, to point out that science has discovered that nothing can be annihilated. Despite the incredible heat of the atomic explosion reckoned in millions of degrees, nothing is lost. Matter can be transformed into energy and vice versa, but in one form or another it never ceases to exist.

So again we ask, if science has discovered that matter and energy cannot be annihilated, then what about human life which is the master of these awesome powers? When man’s body dies and goes back to dust, does his spirit vanish into the void of space and be lost forever? Impossible! It still exists. Man still exists somewhere after death, although in another form. He is conscious somewhere. Where that place is we shall presently note.

5. MAN HAS A UNIVERSAL INSTINCT OF IMMORTALITY.

One of the most persistent instincts of humanity, one that is practically universal, is the belief in immortality. While the belief of one individual cannot be regarded as evidence, the fact that this instinct is almost universal is certainly significant. Whether it is the Christian faith, the teachings of Mohammed, the Indian with his happy hunting ground, the beliefs of those engaged in ancestor worship, and even the traditions of the most primitive tribes, all seem to share in some kind of belief in immortality. Man has to be taught not to believe in God to do so. Only among the ultra-sophisticated, the self-proclaimed intelligentsia, or in those nations cursed by communism does atheism hold general sway.

Now, is that instinct in the human heart to be mocked by reality? Will man at the end of the road find that this universal hope is all in vain? Consider the homing pigeon. Place it in a sealed box, carry it away to a distant point, then open the box and release it. Within the bird’s breast is a strange instinct to return to her home. That instinct is true! The bird flies up into the sky, circles a few times, then, oriented, she unerringly begins her flight toward her home. Is this little creature’s instinct true and man’s hope of an eternal home false? Christ said that the heavenly Father takes note when one sparrow falls to the ground. He also said that man is worth more than many sparrows.

The God who put the instinct in the heart of the pigeon will not mock the hopes of man made in His image.

Chapter II

The Testimony of Christ Concerning the State of the Dead

“There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham said unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead” (Luke 16:19-31).

When Jesus gave His revelation concerning the state of the dead. He chose two individuals—a rich man and a poor man—as the leading characters of His story. One was a man of wealth, the other a friendless beggar. The beggar lay at the rich man’s gate, diseased, hungry, and in rags. Exposed to the vicissitudes of the weather, covered with sores, his body wasting away, the beggar awaited the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table.

His name, however, was Lazarus, which signifies, “God my help.” The poor beggar, deserted by man, at least had a hope beyond this world. Death eventually came to him and as far as this world reckoned, he was no more. But what really happened to Lazarus? Jesus gave the answer.

6.    THE RIGHTEOUS DEAD ARE TRANSPORTED BY ANGELS TO PARADISE.

Jesus lifted the veil of death and showed that angels carried Lazarus’ tired spirit to Paradise.

“And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried” (Luke 16:22).

These are the words of Jesus, who was qualified to know what was on the other side of time. He declared that angels were ready at the moment of his passing and carried his spirit safely into the realm of Paradise, called in those days “Abraham’s bosom.”

7.    HADES THE ABODE OF THE UNSAVED DEAD.

Now what happened to the rich man who according to tradition was called Dives? Before we answer that question, let us note that he is not spoken of as a wicked man in the commonly understood sense of the word. He was essentially a man of the world, very wise in the ways of his time, apparently astute in business, a man who accumulated considerable wealth and who enjoyed what the world considers the “good life.”

He seemed to care little for his more unfortunate neighbors, scorning such persons as Lazarus, who lay in rags at his gate. A man of his time, he made much provision for this life, but he made no provision for the world to come. The narrative indicates that though Dives was familiar with the Scriptures, he gave them little heed. In other words, he lived rich but he died poor. Now what happened to the rich man at death? No doubt he was the object of an imposing funeral to be attended by many distinguished guests. Jesus omitted comment on the pompous obsequies which closed the earthly chapter of the man’s life as of no significance, but said he opened his eyes in Hades. But what and where is Hades? And what are the conditions there?

8.    DEATH NOT THE END OF CONSCIOUSNESS.

Let us note first of all that Jesus was teaching that death did not mark the end of consciousness. The body may be killed or die a natural death, but the soul continues to be conscious in another sphere of existence:

“And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matt. 10:28).

The materialist contends that all consciousness lies in the physical brain and forever ceases at death. In other words, death marks the end of human personality. Nevertheless, evidence provided by recent scientific discoveries quite apart from divine revelation is against this theory. Large sections of the brain have been removed by surgeons, and yet consciousness has been retained! The brain is not the human spirit!

The first awareness of the rich man, after his heart ceased beating, was that consciousness survived the death of the body. Naturally, his next thoughts were how his future would be affected in the transition. Until this moment his physical life seemed the only thing worthwhile to consider. But all of that was now behind him. No doubt he had heard of angels, but he saw there were no angels to meet him. A few minutes before he was a rich man; now, forlorn, he looked in vain for a friendly face. What now was his destiny?

9.    THE UNSAVED AT DEATH ARE SUBJECT TO THE LAW OF EVIL ATTRACTION.

The natural law of gravitation holds everything to the earth. The human spirit is subject to that law, but when it is in the physical body it is held on the physical plane. Once the spirit leaves the body, it is not sustained by physical support. It yields to the downward pull toward the heart of the earth. When Christ died in the sinner’s place, His spirit went down into the heart of the earth—Hades:

“For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matt. 12:40).

From Hades Christ ascended at the time of His resurrection; we are told He transferred Paradise up to the Third Heaven (Ephesians 4:8-10; II Cor. 12:1-3). Since no angels were present to receive the spirit of the erstwhile rich man, he found himself descending into Hades.

Redeemed spirits at death are naturally attracted to regions of light. Like attracts like in the spiritual world. Contrariwise, unsanctified spirits are attracted to the night. That is why Jesus said,

“And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds be reproved” (John 3:19-20).

Marietta Davis, in her remarkable visit with the angel in her vision as told in her book, Scenes Beyond the Grave, records the following words of the angel as regarding the reactions of the sinner who dies without Christ:

“All classes as they emerge from physical form are attracted to and mingle with kindred associations, beings to whose character they assimilate. Those of discordant and unhallowed natures are attracted by like elements and enter into regions overhung with clouds of night, while those who for love of good desire pure associations are by heavenly messengers conducted to an orb of glories appearing above the intermediate scene.”

The sinner in life seeks those pleasures that are in harmony with his nature. Likewise does the Christian. At death the same law prevails. The righteous ascend to be among the pure; the sinner gravitates to those of his kind. The magnetic law of evil attraction controls him; that is, he becomes a victim of the prevailing law.

10. THE NATURE OF EXISTENCE IN HADES.

What was the nature of the rich man’s experience when he found himself in Hades? First he found that there was “a great gulf fixed” between the righteous and the wicked. There was no trafficking between the two. This is in harmony with Revelation 22:11 which says:

“He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. ”

Naturally, after the first moment of leaving the body Dives was in a state of shock. He had never given a thought to the future, although if he had stopped to think, he would have realized that time is but a tick of the clock to eternity. He who had given himself in his lifetime to seeking pleasure and immediate gratification now found himself in a place in which there was no comfort of any kind. He witnessed people suffering; he saw bitter remorse, and no way of escape. His emotions were of utter despair.

It is important to note that the rich man never at any time entertained hope of escaping the place in which he found himself. He knew the dead never returned to earth. Those who had been in Hades a long time could offer him not a single ray of hope. He did, however, make a request for something that might mitigate in a small measure his sufferings. He ventured to ask that Lazarus bring him a few drops of water to alleviate his thirst. Notwithstanding, he was told that the gulf between them forbade any visiting between the two places.

In this life the righteous and unrighteous mingle together. Not so in the world to come. At death the two are separated, and the division is permanent. So it was that the request of Dives had to be denied.

11.    THE WICKED DEAD DO NOT WISH TO MEET THEIR RELATIVES OR FRIENDS.

The rich man had one more request to make. He had five brethren yet on earth who were living careless lives, such as he had lived, with no thought of the hereafter. He knew full well that he had set the pattern by his selfish indulgence and spiritual neglect. He had no wish to meet them in Hades. The statement commonly heard that the sinner will have plenty of company in hell is not correct. There is no such thing as “company” in hell. The one-time rich man anticipated no pleasant meeting with his brethren, as one by one they would descend into that place. There would be bitter incriminations and recriminations in the unwelcome meeting.

Strange is the fact that although many Christians have little interest in missionary work, those in the abode of the lost do show a great interest if it were possible in preventing souls from coming to that place. But they are denied the opportunity. Notice the rich man’s request:

“Then he said. I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment” (Luke 16:27-28).

Alas, the answer could be only, “They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them” (Verse 29). The rich man replied that if one were to arise from the dead and testify, it would awake his brethren. Not so, he was told. That was a fatal delusion. Many people think that if wonders and prodigies were performed, all sinners would repent. Miracles do awaken many, it is true, but they do not usually cause those hardened in selfindulgence to come to repentance. So the reply was, “If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead” (Luke 16:31).

12.    THE DEAD ARE NOT ONLY CONSCIOUS IN HADES, BUT THEY HAVE FACULTIES CORRESPONDING TO THOSE IN LIFE.

There are those who teach that the dead are unconscious, that the story Jesus told of the rich man and Lazarus is a fable, or an allegory—that what Jesus had said has no basis in fact. This is a dangerous position to take—one which impugns or challenges the statements of Christ. When Jesus says there was a certain rich man, we must believe that there was a certain rich man. If the narrative teaches anything at all, it teaches that men are conscious after death. They are not only conscious, but have corresponding senses they possessed during their lifetimes.

Indeed, when a person is asleep and his senses are dormant, his spirit is still active. In a dream a man may see, feel, taste, have fears, experience remorse. Indeed, a dream can be very real. The fact is, the spirit of man has senses and apparently is never completely unconscious.

1.    In Hades, the rich man was able to see. “In hell (Hades) he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off’ (Luke 16:23).

2.    He could hear. He heard what Abraham said to him (Verses 25-31).

3.    He could talk or communicate. He besought Abraham to send Lazarus to him.

4.    He could taste. He wanted water applied to his tongue.

5.    He could feel. He was tormented.

6.    He had memory. Abraham said, “Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime ...”

7.    He had remorse. He wanted Lazarus to go and preach repentance to his five brethren.

So far as we can see, the most solemn thing about Hades is that there was no hope of escaping the place. The rich man realized that he was totally unfitted for heaven, a place of purity and light. If he were to go there, it would only accentuate his sufferings.

Chapter III

The Witness of Dying Christians

In our search for the truth of the state of those who depart this life, let us note the experiences of those who are about to cross over, and their final words as they catch a glimpse of what is beyond. First, let us consider cases of those who have died in the faith. What was their testimony at that crucial hour? Did they at the critical moment discover that their faith was true, or when it met the acid test that comes at the hour of departing this life, did they find their hope only a delusion?

We have an example in the Scriptures of a man who dedicated all to Christ, even to the laying down of his life. We refer to Stephen, the first martyr of the church. Appointed a deacon, he had such success in his preaching that he was promoted to the full time ministry. The power of his witness for Christ excited the wrath of the priestly hierarchy, and after listening to a frank message which severely reproved their rejection of Christ, they stoned him to death.

What was Stephen’s experience at that moment? Looking upward the faithful witness saw the heavens opened, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. Although God deals differently with every person, the death of the church’s first martyr in a way typifies every Christian’s experience when he leaves this life. He may not see Christ standing at the right hand of God, but he will see Him! And he will have great peace at the moment his earthly existence ends.

But now let us consider some of the testimonies of the other saints as they were about to pass from this life. We express our indebtedness to the book, Dying Testimonies, by S. B. Shaw, for much of the following material. (Recently John Myers, in his book. Voices from the Edge of Eternity, has republished many of these and added a large number of others. The latter can be obtained from Voice Publications, Box 672. Northridge, California 91324.)

We have in Shaw’s work a classic collection of testimonies of dying men, testimonies verified by many witnesses. From this group we can choose only a few of those well-known in history.

13.    MATTHEW HENRY

Matthew Henry, the famous commentator, died June 22, 1714. His devotional writings are still prized and studied today. On a return journey from a visit he was seized with apoplexy. Put to bed he said to his friends, “Pray for me, for now I cannot pray for myself.” He spoke of the excellence of spiritual comforts in time of affliction. And then to a friend, Mr. Illedge, he spoke these memorable words: “You have been used to take notice of the sayings of dying men—this is mine: That a life spent in the service of God, and communion with Him, is the most comfortable and pleasant life that one can live in this present world.” Those were his last words. By morning he was gone.

14.    THE LAST WORDS OF JOHN HUS, THE MARTYR

The great Bohemian reformer and martyr, John Hus, was burned at the stake as a heretic in Constance, Germany, July 6, 1415, When arriving at the place of execution, he prayed,

“Into thy hand, O Lord, do I commit my spirit. Thou hast redeemed me, O most good and faithful God. Lord Jesus Christ, assist me and help me, that with a firm and present mind by thy most powerful grace, I may undergo this most cruel and ignominious death, to which I am condemned for preaching the truth of thy most holy gospel.”

The fagots were then lighted, and the martyr sang a song so loud as to be heard through the crackling of the flames.

15.    AUGUSTUS M. TOPLADY, AUTHOR OF "ROCK OF AGES"

Augustus M. Toplady was the author of that famous hymn, “Rock of Ages.”

“Rock of Ages, cleft for me,

Let me hide myself in thee;

Let the water and the blood,

From thy wounded side which flowed Be of sin the double cure—

Save from wrath and make me pure.”

Toplady. suffering from a fatal illness, had everything before him to make life desirable, but his soul was exalted in anticipation of heaven. He said,

“It is my dying avowal that these great and glorious truths which the Lord in rich mercy has given me to believe and enabled me to preach, are now brought into practical and heartfelt experience. They are the very joy and support of my soul.”

Within an hour before death he seemed to wake from a gentle slumber, when he exclaimed, “O what delights! Who can fathom the joys of the third heaven? What a bright sunshine has been spread around me! I have not words to express it. I know it cannot be long now till my Saviour will come for me, for surely no mortal man can live,” bursting as he said into a flood of tears, “after glories that God has manifested to my soul. All is light, light, light—the brightness of His own glory! O come. Lord Jesus, come; come quickly.” Then he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

16. D. L. MOODY, FAMOUS SOUL-WINNER

D. L. Moody was one of the world’s greatest soul-winners. He had been ordained by no ecclesiastical body, nor was he a member of any denomination. He, in fact, belonged to the whole church.

His continuous labors in the evangelistic field finally took their toll. In November, 1899, Mr. Moody was called to speak in a series of meetings in Convention Hall at Kansas City. As he gave his last invitation to sinners one night he said, “Go play with forked lightning, go trifle with pestilence and disease, but trifle not with God.”

The next day his physicians, upon giving him an examination, told him he must return home. It was hoped that a complete rest would restore his weakened heart. But day by day his weakness increased. Finally friends saw that the end was not far off. As death drew near, he spoke these words so often quoted: “Earth recedes, heaven opens before me.” Those about him thought that he was dreaming. But he said, “This is no dream. It is beautiful. It is like a trance. If this is death, it is sweet. There is no valley here. God is calling me, and I must go.” A little later it seemed as if he saw beyond the veil, for he exclaimed, “This is my triumph; this is my coronation day! I have been looking forward to it for years.”

With that he closed his eyes and fell asleep in Jesus.

When the news reached the world, people remembered the words of Moody. He had said, “Some day you will read in the papers that D. L. Moody at East Northfield is dead. Don’t you believe a word of it! At that moment I shall be more alive than I am now. I shall have gone up higher, that is all—out of this old clay tenement into a house that is immortal; a body that death cannot touch, that sun cannot taint; a body fashioned like unto His glorious body.”

17. MARTIN LUTHER, FATHER OF THE REFORMATION

Let us note the deathbed testimony of Martin Luther, father of the Reformation, who risked all for his faith in Christ. Schaff’s Encyclopedia gives the following description of Martin Luther at the time of his death:

“Martin Luther was great in his private life as well as in his public career. His is the ideal of cheerfulness and song. He was great in thought and great in action.

He was never weary, and there seemed to be no limit to his creative energy. He embodies in his single person the boldness of the battlefield, the song of the musician, the joy and care of the parent, the skill of the writer, the force of the orator, and the sincerity of rugged manhood with the humility of the Christian.”

His last words were, “O my heavenly Father, my eternal and everlasting God! Thou has revealed to me Thy Son. our Lord Jesus Christ; I have preached Him! I have confessed Him! I love Him and I worship Him as my dearest Saviour and Redeemer! Into thy hands I commend my spirit.”

18.    JOHN WESLEY-"THE BEST OF ALL IS GOD IS WITH US."

March 2, 1791 was the last day on earth for John Wesley, the apostle of the 18th century. Shortly before his death, Mr. Wesley said, “I will get up.” While he arranged his clothes, he broke out singing. After a bit his voice failed, and he lay down again. He then gave instructions for a simple funeral.

Then calling those near him to pray and praise, he took each by the hand, and effectually saluting them, bade them farewell.

After attempting to say something which they could not understand, he paused a little, and then, with the remaining strength, he said, “The best of all is God is with us.” And again lifting his hand, he repeated the same words in holy triumph.

His brother’s widow came, and he pressed her hand and said, “He giveth His servants rest.” He called on those present to pray and seemed to join fervently in their petitions. He tried to repeat the song he had sung, but all he could say was, “I’ll praise, I’ll praise.” As morning drew near, his friends knelt around his bed. “Farewell,” said the dying man, and it was the last word he spoke.

Without a groan or a sigh he slipped away to be with Jesus. It was a triumphant death.

19.    SUSANNAH WESLEY, MOTHER OF CHARLES AND JOHN WESLEY

The story of Susannah Wesley is almost as remarkable as that of her famous sons, John and Charles Wesley. Her husband, Samuel Wesley, was a curate, and together they began married life on sixty pounds (equivalent to about $300 at that time) a year. Had Susannah Wesley not been a woman of a strong will, she could not have borne all the trials and privations and hardships of her long and toilsome life. Not only did poverty often stare the rapidly increasing family in the face, but in 1702 their home was destroyed by fire. The husband, owing debts he could not pay, was put in prison for three months. In 1709, the Epworth Rectory was burned to the ground, and some of the children narrowly escaped with their lives. Their books, which had been purchased with great self-denial, as well as their clothing, were gone. They rescued John barely in time.

Notwithstanding the many household duties. Mrs. Wesley found time for a vast amount of literary work. She conducted a household school which she continued for twenty years, as well as preparing three textbooks for the religious training of her children.

The letters that she wrote to her son John gave insight into her pure and noble character. When John hesitated about going to America, not wishing to leave his aged mother, she said. “Had I twenty sons I should rejoice were they all so employed, though I should never see them again.”

When it came time for her to die she said. “Children, as soon as I am released, sing a song of praise unto God.” That was her last request.

20. THE EXPERIENCE OF THE WRITER'S MOTHER

The writer cannot forbear adding the testimony of his own mother’s passing. Twice in her lifetime she received a most remarkable deliverance. Once she was healed of cancer after having been given up to die by physicians. Then when she was 76 she suffered an acute stroke, affecting the brain, a circumstance which is almost invariably fatal at advanced age. Nevertheless, she was wondrously delivered and able to resume normal living.

As she reached the age of 80, her strength rapidly diminished.

As the Christmas season came, it was realized that she had not long to live, and the family was called to her bedside. During her final night she did not sleep, but prayed constantly. After the family retired, I went in and, holding her hand, I prayed with her a long time. There was a spirit of triumph in that room. When I finally retired. I could hear mother continuing to pray and to praise God.

Morning came, and we all realized she would be gone before the day was over. The power of recognition still lingered, but she was becoming more and more preoccupied as one beginning to see across to another world. Then as the hands of the clock moved to eleven on that first day of the new year her release came. Slowly she raised her hands and smiled in that same way she had welcomed us when we arrived at her bedside a few days before. But she was welcoming Someone else this time! Then her hands quickly dropped and were still, as her face relaxed to a peaceful calm. She was gone!

Knowing her as my mother all those years I was well familiar with her warm smile which always lit up her face when she saw something that delighted her. There were also times I saw her countenance fall when she heard bad news. But that last smile told me surely that what she was seeing was welcome news.

Such are the testimonies of the saints when they pass over this life. But now let us consider a less appealing task of noting the testimonies of those who in their lifetimes made it known that they rejected Christ and His claims. We shall choose the witness of those who by their fierce attacks on Christianity are remembered in history. Also by reason of their prominence they left behind documentation of their final words and thoughts as they slipped out into eternity. Their witness is not the less important to our subject than that of the saints.

Chapter IV

Dying Testimonies of the Infidels

Having noted some of the testimonies of those who died with faith in Christ, let us consider the testimonies of some of the more famous infidels and deists as they came to the edge of eternity. Their testimonies must also carry weight. As they approached the abyss of what they supposed was dreamless sleep in eternal night did their first glimpse confirm their views so boldly proclaimed in their lifetimes? What evidence do they have to give?

21.    THOMAS HOBBES, THE ATHEIST

Atheist Thomas Hobbes developed a philosophy of nature and morals that was utterly antagonistic to Christianity. With great vigor he advanced his theories of materialistic psychology, most of which today have been discarded by science.

But what did Thomas Hobbes have to say when he drew near death? He said, “I am about to take a leap into the dark.” The last words that he spoke that could be understood were, “I shall be glad to find a hole to creep out of the world at.” Quite a little difference from the joyous words of those whose faith had been in Christ!

22.    DAVID HUME, THE DEIST

David Hume, the deist, was a philosopher and historian. In 1762 he published his work, Natural Religion. He surrounded himself with a group of kindred spirits as vile and depraved as he. Hume’s writings are not so much an examination of the evidences of Christianity as an unholy speculation of the imperfections of professing Christians. Hume, arrogantly abandoning the guide of the Scriptures, so multiplied his errors that his extravagances confuted his own writings. Hume tried to introduce a universal skepticism of all that is good. He denied the nature and majesty of God as he did all miracles.

But at last when death approached there was a change. When his infidel friends were present, he appeared to be composed. But when left alone, he seemed anything but satisfied.

Shortly after Hume’s passing his housekeeper gave this account of his death. The lady said,

“I was Mr. Hume’s housekeeper for many years; I was with him in his last moments. Happy would I have been if I could have borne testimony of the mistaken opinion that has gone abroad of his peaceful and composed end. I think it is a pity that the world should be kept in the dark on this matter. It is true that when Mr. Hume’s friends were with him, he was cheerful and seemed quite unconcerned about his approaching fate. Nay, he frequently spoke of it in a jocular and playful way. But when he was alone, the scene was very different; he was anything but composed; his mental agitation was so great at times as to occasion his whole bed to shake. He would not allow the candles to be put out at night. He struggled hard to be calm even before me. But to one who attended his bedside for so many days and nights and witnessed his disturbed sleep and still more disturbed wakings, who frequently heard his involuntary breathings of remorse and frightful startings, it was not a difficult thing to determine that all was not right within. This continued until he finally became insensible. I hope to God I shall never witness a similar scene.”

23. THE DEATH OF VOLTAIRE, THE INFIDEL

When the noted infidel Voltaire felt the stroke that he realized might terminate in death, he was overpowered with remorse. He at once sent for the priest and wanted “to be reconciled to the church.” His infidel flatterers quickly hastened to his chamber to prevent his recantation; but it was only to witness his ignominy and their own. He cursed them to their faces; and as his distress was increased by their presence, he repeatedly and loudly exclaimed:

“Begone! It is you that have brought me to my present condition. Leave me, I say; begone! What a wretched glory is this which you have produced to me!”

Hoping to allay his anguish by a written recantation, he had it prepared, signed it, and saw it witnessed. But it was all unavailing. For two months he was tortured with such an agony as led him at times to gnash his teeth in impotent rage against God and man. At other times in plaintive accents he would plead, “O Christ! O Lord Jesus!” Then turning his face, he would cry out, “I must die abandoned of God and of men!”

As his end drew near, his condition became so frightful that his infidel associates were afraid to approach his bedside. Still they guarded the door, that others might not know how awfully an infidel was compelled to die. Even his nurse repeatedly said, “For all the wealth of Europe I would never see another infidel die.” Such is the well-attested end of one who had a superior intellect, excellent education, great wealth and much earthly honor.

Thus we see the contrast: Those who died in Christ died in hope, in joy, in peace. They were not disappointed when they reached the Great Divide and looked over on the other side. By contrast, men of brilliant intellect who used their mental powers to pervert, twist, and distort the teachings of the Scriptures found no peace at the end of the road. They who defied God in life must witness to their own falsity and folly at death. Truly the Psalmist’s words are right: “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.”

24. THOMAS PAINE, THE FREETHINKER

Thomas Paine is widely known as the most prominent infidel of his time. In 1793 he wrote his famous work, “The Age of Reason” which was a book against Christianity and in favor of deism. Deism asserts belief in a god but regards Him as detached from the world and making no revelation. Therefore, reason was man’s only reliance. Deists, consequently, are opposed to Christianity, and they regard the Bible as a collection of unauthentic and fabulous books.

In 1802 he returned to America from France and eked out a miserable existence “indebted in his last illness for acts of charity of disciples of the very religion he opposed.”

Being a freethinker he became a believer in free love. His first wife died as a result of his brutal conduct. The second one left charging him with extreme cruelty. He seduced a third who was a married woman while at the same time he lived upon the hospitality of her husband.

Paine’s record is that of a man who could not be trusted. Congress gave him an office, but being found guilty of a breach of trust, he resigned in disgrace. Millrane’s Evidences says, “His life was a compound of ingratitude and perfidy, of hypocrisy and avarice, of lewdness and adultery.”

In his last days he called for the services of Catholic priests. His housekeeper told them that Paine was under great distress of mind having been told by physicians that he could not live but must die shortly. That his cries when left alone were heartrending. “O Lord help me!” he would say in his paroxysms of distress. “God, help me! Jesus Christ, help me! O God! What have I done to suffer so much?” Then shortly after, he would say, “But there is no God,” and then again, “Yet if there should be what would become of me hereafter?” At times he would scream as if in terror and agony and would call for the housekeeper saying he could not bear to be alone.

A priest, after he visited him, said, “A more wretched being in appearance I never beheld. His look was that of a man greatly tortured in mind, his eyes haggard, his countenance forbidding, and his whole appearance that of one whose better days had been but a continued scene of debauch.”

Upon learning who the priests were, Paine interrupted saying, ‘That’s enough, sir, that’s enough. I see what you would be about. I wish to hear no more from you, sir. My mind is made up on that subject. I look upon the whole of the Christian scheme as a tissue of lies, and Jesus Christ no more than a cunning knave and impostor. Leave the room instantly.”

Among the last utterances that fell upon the ears of the attendants of this dying infidel and which have been recorded in history, were the words, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

25.    EDWARD GIBBON, THE INFIDEL HISTORIAN

Gibbon is known as the author of The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire. In his early life he became a Catholic. But then he fell in with the fashionable infidelity of his day that soon was jesting at Christianity. Rev. E. P. Goodwin in Christianity and Infidelity says of Gibbon’s autobiography that though he was a master of rhetoric yet there was not a word of reverence for God, nothing of love for his fellow men, but his whole narrative was characterized by sordid selfishness, vain glory, desire for admiration, contempt for the poor, and a supreme interest in his own gratification.

This man when he died said appropriately, “All is now lost —finally and irrevocably lost. All is dark and doubtful.”

26.    CLARENCE DARROW, CHAMPION OF INFIDELITY

Clarence Darrow is known as a brilliant lawyer who opposed Christianity and championed infidelity. However, First Mate Bob in his Log of the Good Ship Grace, Vol. 33, Nov. 14. 1967, has this to say about the views he held at the end of his life:

“I was interested to read in a syndicated newspaper column by a medical doctor that even Clarence Darrow, the famed agnostic lawyer, was troubled in his soul as he lay on his deathbed.

“‘Get me three clergymen,’ Darrow said to his law clerk.

“When the ministers arrived, Darrow, who had laughed at the Bible belief of William Jennings Bryan during the heated Scopes trial in Tennessee, this same Darrow said: ‘Gentlemen, I have written and spoken many things against God and the churches during my lifetime. Now I wish I hadn’t! For I realize it is entirely possible that I may have been wrong. So I should like to ask a final favor—that each of you intercede for me with the Almighty. ’

“The ministers did pray for Clarence Darrow—and I trust that he prayed the sinner’s prayer.”

27. THE STARTLING CHANGE IN CHARLES DARWIN

Darwin more than any man is responsible for the acceptance of the theory of evolution versus creation. There is a final chapter in his life that is little known. Oswald J. Smith in an article in “Prayer Crusade” published by The Little Church by the Sea, Inc., has a most interesting story to tell. He writes:

“It may surprise many students of evolution to learn that in the closing days of his life, Charles Darwin returned to his faith in the Bible. The following account is told by Lady Hope, of Northfield, England, a wonderful Christian woman who was often at his bedside before he died:

“It was one of those glorious autumn afternoons that we sometimes enjoy in England when I was asked to go in and sit with Charles Darwin. I used to feel when I saw him that his fine presence would make a grand picture for our Royal Academy, but never did I think so more strongly than on this particular occasion.

“He was sitting up in bed, propped up by his pillows, gazing out on a far stretching scene of woods and corn fields which glowed in the light of a marvelous sunset.

“His features lit up with pleasure as I entered the room. He waved his hand toward the window as he pointed out the beautiful sunset scene beyond. In his other hand he held an open Bible, which he was always studying.

“‘What are you reading now?’ I asked.

“‘Hebrews,’ he answered, ‘The Royal Book I call it.’ Then as he placed his fingers on certain passages, he commented on them.

“I made some allusion to the strong opinions expressed by many on the history of the creation, and then their treatment of the earlier chapters of the book of Genesis. He seemed distressed, his fingers twitched nervously and a look of agony came over his face as he said, ‘I was a young man with unformed ideas. I threw out queries, suggestions, wondering all the time about everything. To my astonishment, the ideas took like wildfire. People made a religion of them.’

“Then he paused, and after a few more sentences on the holiness of God and ‘the grandeur of this Book,’ looking tenderly at the Bible which he was holding all the time, he said: ‘I have a summer house in the garden which holds about thirty people. It is over there (pointing through the open window). I want you very much to speak here. I know you read the Bible in the villages. Tomorrow afternoon I should like the servants on the place, some tenants, and a few neighbors to gather there. Will you speak to them?’

“‘What shall I speak about?’ I asked.

“‘Christ Jesus,’ he answered in a clear, emphatic voice—adding in a lower tone, ‘and His salvation. Is not that the best theme? Then I want you to sing some hymns with them. You lead on your small instrument, do you not?’

“The look of brightness on his face, as he said, this I shall never forget; for he added: ‘If you make the meeting at three o’clock, this window will be open, and you will know that I am joining in with the singing.’”

... “Was there ever a more dramatic scene? The very soul of tragedy is here exposed to us! Darwin, enthusiast for the Bible, speaking about ‘the grandeur of this Book’, reminded of that modern evolutionary movement in theology which, linked with skeptical criticism, has destroyed Biblical faith in multitudes. Darwin, with a look of agony, deploring it all and declaring, ‘I was a young man with unformed ideas.’ What an overwhelming criticism! The ‘unformed ideas’ of the young man Darwin are the basis of modern theology! ”

Chapter V

Other Facts You Have Wanted to Know About Death and Eternity

28.    THE SPIRITS OF THE REDEEMED AT DEATH GO TO PARADISE. THERE IS NO INTERMEDIATE PURGATORY.

“And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).

The above is one of the most assuring Scriptures in the Bible and shows the completeness of Christ’s salvation. The malefactor on the cross had at first joined his wicked companion in reviling Christ. But as he continued to observe the scene, even as the Lord prayed for His tormentors, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do,” suddenly the light shone into his heart and he was persuaded that Jesus was the Son of God. In his last minute repentance, he humbly asked the Lord to remember him when He came into His Kingdom. Jesus heard the penitent’s cry and promised that even that day he would be with Him in Paradise. If the human spirit ceased to exist at death, the penitent thief would not have received that promise.

29.    GOD IS NOT THE GOD OF THE DEAD, BUT OF THE LIVING.

The Sadducees were the materialists of their day. They did not believe in angels nor the resurrection. In an attempt to trap the Lord in His words, they invented a hypothetical case of seven brothers, the oldest of which married a wife. According to the story they concocted, the man died with his wife surviving. According to the Law of Moses the next oldest as an obligation married the widow. He died also, and the wife was again a widow. This happened seven times in succession, until all the brothers died and last of all the woman. Now if there were a resurrection, they asked, whose wife should the woman be?

Jesus answered their question by showing their ignorance of the Scriptures. In the first place those worthy of the resurrection, He said, would not be given in marriage but would be as the angels. Then to refute further their error, Jesus called their attention to Moses at the Burning Bush. Here Jehovah revealed Himself as “the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” adding that “God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” Obviously Jesus meant by this that somewhere the spirits of these men were conscious and “living unto God.”

30.    ABSENT FROM THE BODY IS PRESENT WITH THE LORD.

“For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you” (Phil. 1:23-24).

“Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:

(For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord” (II Cor. 5:6-8).

The apostle Paul had spent many years laboring for the Master. He spoke of himself now as “Paul the aged.” Despite his declining strength and increasing infirmities, the needs of his converts whom he dearly loved made him feel the necessity of remaining on earth for a while longer. The point is that Paul believed that when he left the body he would be in the presence of Christ. There would certainly be no incentive if he thought all consciousness ceased at the grave, as some teach. Actually Paul experienced a visit to Paradise and saw wonderful things that he was not permitted to divulge on his return, which we shall now note.

31.    PAUL WAS ACTUALLY CAUGHT UP TO PARADISE.

“I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body,

I cannot tell: God knoweth:) such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body. I cannot tell: God knoweth:) How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for man to utter” (II Cor. 12:2-4).

Here we see Paul had a wonderful experience in which he was caught up into Paradise and saw amazing things which he dared not reveal. Nevertheless, he does say something which is of special interest to our subject. Paul declared that when he witnessed these things he was not certain whether he was in the body or out of the body. (Some believe that Paul had this vision when stoned and left dead. He mentions this experience in the context. See II Cor. 11:25; also Acts 14:19-20). It may be that Paul was caught up to Paradise out of the body. But whether he was or was not makes no difference. Paul by his statement showed that he believed that even if he were out of the body, it was possible for his spirit to witness things in heaven. He thus inferred that when the spirit leaves the body, it is still conscious and capable of enjoying the bliss of Paradise.

32. DISEMBODIED SPIRITS ARE CONSCIOUS.

“When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first” (Luke 11:24-26).

Here is evidence from the spirit world: Evidence that a spirit, good or bad, without the body is conscious; that it is the nature of a spirit without a body to be conscious. Jesus shows that evil spirits when disembodied seek entrance in a human body. Only when thus embodied do they find rest. These words of Jesus show that when an evil spirit is cast out from a human body, it is not unconscious. Rather it wanders about seeking another body into which it hopes to enter. It is all the time conscious of its condition. Failing to find another body that it can enter, it returns to the one from whence it has been cast out. When it discovers that the individual has made no attempt to replenish the spiritual void in his life with God. but rather has left it “swept and garnished,” the evil spirit gathers to him seven more spirits more wicked than himself and they all enter and dwell there, to the final ruin of the person’s soul.

God did not create spirits to be evil. At one time they were good spirits. Apparently in some way they were associated with the rebellion of Satan, fell with him. and at the present time, are under his direction and will share in his doom. Though they are spirits without bodies, nevertheless, they are fully conscious in that condition all of which shows the nature of spirit beings— that whether they have bodies or not, they are conscious.

33. THE WICKED ARE NOT TO BE RELEASED FROM SHEOL UNTIL FINAL JUDGMENT.

In Luke 16:19-31 we have noted the Lord’s description of the lot of the unsaved rich man after his death. He was incarcerated in Hades, the abode of the dead with no hope of escape. At the time of the resurrection of the righteous dead the wicked remain in Hades or Sheol (Sheol is the Hebrew term) as Revelation 20:5 declares:

“But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.”

After the thousand years of the Millennium, the dead are raised to the resurrection of judgment or the Great White Throne Judgment:

“And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Rev. 20:11-15).

34. CHILDREN ARE COVERED BY CHRIST'S REDEMPTION UNTIL THE AGE OF ACCOUNTABILITY.

Although one denomination claims that children that have not been baptized by an authorized priest go to limbo (a place said to be on the verge of hell), this is not backed up by the Scriptures. Jesus said, “Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.” Indeed Christ said that unless men come as little children, they could not enter the kingdom of heaven:

“Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 18:3).

Jesus taught that the heavenly Father takes note of even the sparrow that falls to the ground. How much more a child made in the image of God. He warned men against doing anything that should cause a child to stumble. It were better, He said, that a millstone be hanged around his neck and he be cast into the depths of the sea. And finally Jesus declared that the angels who dwell in the presence of God stand guard over them:

“Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 18:10).

It is only when the child comes to the age of accountability and is able to understand the requirements of conscience and God’s law that he must make a decision. He must then personally accept God’s way of salvation through repentance and faith in God:

“For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died” (Romans 7:9).

“And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:2-3).

35.    THERE IS RECOGNITION IN THE WORLD BEYOND.

The question of whether people will recognize each other in heaven has ever occupied the thoughts of men. On this the Scriptures are not silent. The apostle Paul said in I Corinthians 13:12:

“For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. ”

It would be strange if we knew less in heaven than we do here on earth. The rich man in Hades recognized Abraham and Lazarus. He had five brethren. He knew when they arrived they would recognize him and he them. Because he dreaded the hour of the meeting he made a desperate though hopeless request that Lazarus be sent to warn them, to prevent their coming there. There is recognition in heaven; there is recognition in Hades; and even as recognition enhances the joys of heaven, it enhances the miseries of those in Hades.

36.    THE RIGHTEOUS DEAD LIVING IN PARADISE (THE INTERMEDIATE STATE) WILL RECEIVE GLORIFIED BODIES AT THE RESURRECTION.

“Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation” (John 5:28-29).

The most wonderful event of history will be the translation of the living saints and the resurrection of the righteous dead. Paul speaks of it in the famous passage of I Thes. 4:15-18.

“For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words. ”

Is anything too hard for the Lord? Cannot the Eternal Power that created man and caused him to live in this body of flesh also restore him in the resurrection?

Yea, the resurrection of Jesus Christ (whose death was a public event) and His appearances afterward which were witnessed by over 500 persons proved for all time that God has the power to raise the dead. The symbol of the power of Christianity is the empty tomb.

Jesus was not only raised from the dead, but received a glorified body. This resurrected body has many powers not possessed by the physical body. That glorious body is not to be confused with spirit, but as Christ pointed out it has “flesh and bones” (Luke 24:39). It has supernatural powers, not only to travel swiftly but even to pass through walls: “the doors being shut" (John 20:26). This redemption body possesses the springs of eternal youth. Death has no effect on the bodies of the glorified saints. The privilege of partaking of the tree of life forbidden to Adam because of his sin will be restored to the overcomer (Rev. 2:7).

The saints will then rule and reign with Christ, even as declared by the prophet Daniel:

“But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever” (Dan. 7:18).

37. THE GEHENNA FIRE.

The fate of Satan and his angels is told in Revelation 20:10.

“And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”

If the Scripture teaches anything at all, it teaches against annihilation. The antichrist and the false prophet were cast into the Gehenna fire and a thousand years later are still there. The thought of eternal judgment is a solemn thing and nothing can be said that lightens or mitigates the terrible significance nor finality of the second death as declared in Revelation 20:15:

“And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake offire.”

38.    IS GEHENNA FIRE EVERLASTING?

The Gehenna judgment is said to be everlasting. The word “everlasting” is translated from aionios and appears in Matthew 25:41, 46.

It is pointed out that aionios in certain places ordinarily means “age” or an indefinite period of time, but not “forever.” For example Jesus said in Matthew 13:39, “The harvest is the end of the ‘aion’ world” (or “age” R. V.).

But the word aionios is used also for “eternal life.” This same word used to express the duration of punishment of the wicked is also used for the duration of the life of the redeemed. Clearly it is dangerous to interpret the word aionios as giving hope that “everlasting” for the wicked is not as long as “everlasting” is for the righteous.

The word aionios in fact is used to describe the eternalness of God (I Cor. 15:26) and of His kingdom (Isa. 40:28). The unavoidable conclusion is that if there is such a thing as “a second chance” for those who reject Christ, the Bible has not made it known. And where the Bible is silent, we should be silent.

39.    THE WICKED SHARE PUNISHMENT WITH THE DEVIL AND HIS ANGELS.

“Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.... And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal” (Matt. 25:41, 46).

Beyond what has been said, we are expressly told that the wicked share the same fate as the devil and his angels. Terrible as is the thought of the reprobation of the wicked, it is essentially no worse than the thought of the reprobation of Lucifer and the fallen angels which were once righteous and holy creatures (Ezek. 28:12-17). There is not a shred of evidence in the entire Bible to warrant hope for the redemption of Satan. His career is soon to climax in a blasphemous and audacious attempt to seduce the people of God and frustrate the divine plan. That will not be possible of course. Nevertheless, the devil will not cease his diabolical machinations until he is bound and cast into the bottomless pit (Rev. 20:1-3). Surely the very existence of this malignant personage is in itself unanswerable proof of the possibility of everlasting incorrigibility of those who choose the way of wickedness.

40. WHAT ABOUT THOSE WHO HAVE NEVER HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR THE GOSPEL?

Now when we consider the fate of the heathen who have never heard of the Gospel, that is another matter. Abraham said, “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (Gen. 18:25). Indeed, God’s plan seems to include the provision that every man should have his chance. John the Baptist said that Christ is “the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world” (John 1:9). There is hope for all who accept light when it comes their way; there is no hope nor promise of hope for him who rejects it.

It is true we are considering a subject in which lies much mystery. Paul speaking of the heathen who never heard the Gospel declares that they will be judged by the law of their conscience:

“For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel” (Rom. 2:14-16).

Perhaps Christ Himself throws the greatest light on the mysterious subject of destiny. He made three significant statements which upon careful study appear to have a definite bearing on how God will judge men in the final reckoning:

“Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth” (John 9:41).

“If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin” (John 15:22).

“If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father” (John 15:24).

This Is Your Hour!

How then is it with you, my friend? Have you accepted Christ as your Saviour and daily are you following Him? If so, you may be assured of His presence when the time comes for you to leave this world. His angels will carry your departing spirit, joyously into the realms of Paradise, there to meet and greet those who have gone on before. Of you it will be said,

“Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord ... and their works do follow them” (Rev. 14:13).

Christ promised that the “gates of Hades” would never prevail against those of His Church. Are you then a member of His invisible Church?

Oh, what a tragedy to die without Christ! There will be no holy angels to welcome the man who departs this world without hope of a Saviour. His spirit, like that of Dives, will surely descend into Hades. Once there, the gates will close behind him until the judgment day. For Hades is the land of darkness, the land without hope! In Hades there is only the anticipation of the Resurrection of Judgment: To some day stand before a rejected

God at the Great White Throne Judgment, and to hear those terrible fateful words, “Depart from me ....”

Such need never be. Friend, determine now that it shall never be! At this very moment confess your sins to Christ, accept Him as your personal Saviour. Do it now, while God’s Spirit is striving with you. The moments are priceless. The hour of decision is at hand. “Choose you this day whom ye will serve” (Josh. 24:15). For this is your hour! Eternity will reveal the choice you make now!

Table of Contents

Introduction

The Testimony of Nature and Science

The Testimony of Christ Concerning the State of the Dead

The Witness of Dying Christians

Dying Testimonies of the Infidels

Other Facts You Have Wanted to Know About Death and Eternity